1996 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OVER, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING LEVELS FLUCTUATED, THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FLICKERED ON/OFF, AND THE BATTERY DIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOR A PROBLEM THAT HASN'T BEEN FIXED. SCC *NLM

I OWN A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM, I NOTICED SB #020601014 REGARDING THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET - I HAD TO REPLACE TWO ON MY GRAND AM. I WAS TOLD IT IS TYPICAL EVERY 50,000 MILES, YET I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A GRAND AM AND KNOW PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO DO AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. WHAT MAKES MATTERS WORSE IS THAT IT IS A $900.00 JOB, AND I HAD TO DO IT TWICE! I AM LISTING THE MOST RECENT DATE - THE SECOND OCCURRENCE. *JB

IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, I HAVE REPLACED MY HEATER CORE, BECAUSE IT IS PLASTIC, AND THEN THE RADIATOR, NOW THE HEAD GASKET. PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE FIRST SURFACED WITH HEATER CORE FAILURE, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THEN PROCEEDS THROUGH THE COOLING TO SYSTEM, TO MY CURRENT PROBLEM, HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. THE WATER PUMP AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACED, WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY. I TOOK MY CAR TO HARDIN PONTIAC IN ANAHEIM, CA AT 3 PM ON MARCH 4TH. THEY HAVE NOW HAD MY CAR 2 DAYS AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER $80 TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE MY COOLANT LEAK. I HAVE OPENED A FILE W/PONTIAC, REF # 1-78-69-0865. PONTIAC DETERMINED THAT, AS I AM THE SECOND OWNER, THE AGE OF THE CAR (1996) AND NUMBER OF MILES (82,622) THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. I EXPLAINED TO HER, THAT WHILE I AM THE 2ND OWNER, I PURCHASED THE CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER THEIR 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. AND WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, MY TRANSMISSION & WATER PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED. THE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS BEGAN WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY. ALSO GM'S N' CAR SERIES HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR COOLING SYSTEMS, I AM BEING PENALIZED, PRIMARILY, BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND OWNER, RATHER THAN THE ORIGINAL OWNER. MY CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AS SPECIFIED IN THEIR OWNER??S MANUAL. WHILE SPEAKING W/PONTIAC, I WAS TOLD THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE IGNITION SYSTEM, APPARENTLY IT IS KNOW TO OVERHEAT AND MELT, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. IT APPEARS GM'S OVERHEATING ISSUES ARE NOT LIMITED TO TH

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.*JB

ENGINE FAILURE --PISTON OR ROD AND ONLY 30K MILES ON USED ENGINE

THE ENGINE STALLED TWICE IN DRIVING. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR. WINDOWS GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE AND DON'T GO UP AND DOWN. TS

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES, THE BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHT FLUCTUATE, THE IGNITION CLICKS AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE STARTED. NLM

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE MOTORS ON ALL FOUR POWER WINDOWS FAILED IN 06/98. DEALER REPAIRED, BUT MOTORS FAILED AGAIN IN 06/99. WINDOWS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENLY WITH PROBLEM GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL FAILURE. MR

THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDOW MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACES. *PH *NLM

NO SUMMARY. DT

COOLANT LEAKING INTO CRANKCASE, ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. ALSO I HAVE REPLACED 3 ALTERNATORS SINCE I OWNED THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST ONE AT 40000 MILES. THIS CAR BY MY BOOK IS CRAP. DT

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE BRAKES. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR AND "RUN OFF" ROAD TO MAKE STOP. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT A "PUSH ROD" CLIP WAS MISSING FROM MASTER CYLINDER. CLIP WAS REPLACED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED TWICE RESPECTIVELY. FINALLY DEALER REPLACED "SEMI-WORN" FRONT BRAKE PADS AND PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR. DEALER DETERMINED THAT WHEN BRAKE PADS WEAR DOWN THE "PUSH ROD" CLIP COMES OUT OF PLACE(CLIP CONNECTS TO BRAKE PEDAL) CAUSING BRAKE LOSS. TS

THE WIRING MUST BE SHOT BECAUSE ANY THING THAT IS ELECTRIC IS ALWAYS GOING OUT. DT

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER AND FENDER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED.(NO TIRE INFO GIVEN) (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT 10-91-477) *YH

NHTSA RECALL 02V070000 IGNITION SWITCH; MARTIN CADILLAC COMPANY, INC., LOS ANGELES, CA; VEHICLE HAS HAD RECALL PERFORMED TWICE WITH THE PROBLEM OF THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILING, REOCCURING. THE OWNER IS TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK IN FOR A THIRD TIME TO GET IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRED, FOR A THIRD TIME. THE DEALERSHIP IS RELUCTANT OF REPAIRING RECALL ITEM A THIRD TIME, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING THE CONSUMER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS

KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION AFTER PUTTING INTO PARK. STICKS AT VARIOUS TIMES AND FOR VARIOUS LENGTHS OF TIME. THE LIGHTS STAY ON WHICH HAS DRAINED THE BATTERY TWICE. HAVE HAD THREE DIFFERENT LOCAL DEALERS CHECK. THEY DID THINGS LIKE GREASE IT, MAKE NEW KEYS AND SCRATCH THEIR HEAD. NONE OF THESE HAVE SOLVED MY PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE CAR AS A "PROGRAM CAR" WITH 14967 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN 1996. AFTER 5 YEARS OF THINKING I WAS ALONE WITH THIS ANNOYING PROBLEM, I RECENTLY FOUND SIX LOCAL OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOW I SEE ABOUT TEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE. I DID HAVE THE MOST RECENT RECALL DONE BUT THE DEALER SAID IT DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS ON HOW TO FIX IT. I HAVE SENT E-MAILS TO PONTIAC WITH NO REPLY. I REALIZE THIS MAY NOT FALL INTO SAFETY ISSUES BUT IT IS A WIDE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS LOOKED INTO. WITH THE IGNITION LEFT IN THE ON POSITION, IT MAY BE A FIRE HAZZARD, NOT TO MENTION HARD ON BATTERIES. I AM TOT HE POINT OF SEEKING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. THIS IS THE LARGEST, MOST ANNOYING PROBLEM I HAVE HAD, OTHER THAN THIS, I HAVE LIKED THE CAR. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME FIX THIS!*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE SECONDS AFTER BEING PARKED. VEHICLE WAS TO BE TOWED, HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION RELATING TO IGNITION SWITCH 02V07 TO CORRECT POTENTAL FIRE. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER HAS FILED COMPLAINT WITH ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE. *TT

THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE THE RIGHT PASSENGER POWER MOTOR WENT OUT. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE OTHER THREE ALSO WENT BAD. MY GEAR SHIFTER LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF AT TIMES, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF, THE RADIO LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF, THE CIGARETTE LIGHT FUSE BLOWS ALL THE TIME. IRVINE TOYOTA TOLD ME THERE WAS NO ELECTRICLE PROBLEM AND THAT PONTIACS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR WINDOW MOTORS HEATING UP AND GOING OUT. ALL THEY DO IS KEEP REPLACING THE MOTORS. LAST NIGHT I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND HAD COMPLETE POWER FAILURE IN THE CAR. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE.*AK

DRIVING ALONG AND ENGINE QUITS, CAR STALLS, AND WON'T RESTART FOR 15 TO 30 MINUTES. NO CERTAIN SPEED, HAPPENED AT 55MPH AS WELL AS 15MPH. NO WARNING, JUST QUITS. HAD CHECKED OUT NUMEROUS TIMES, CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ANTI THEFT LIGHT IS USUALLY ON AT THIS TIME. HELP, COSTING LOTS OF MONEY AND NOT BEING FIXED. SEE LOTS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS THE SAME AS MINE. SOMEONE MUST KNOW SOMETHING.*AK

CONSUMER HAD THE FUEL FILTER CHECKED FOR REPLACEMENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CONNECTION FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FUEL FILTER WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT THE LINE AND FUEL FILTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JG *CB

LIGHT THAT REFLEXES THE FAILURE OF ALTERNATOR WILL NOT COME ON UNTIL ALL 3 DIOD HAS FAILED. THIS CAUSES ENGINE TO QUIT WHEN TWO OF THE 3 DIODS HAV FAILED.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING/ EXITING DRIVEWAY, DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH CAUSE UNKNOWN. OWNER INDICATED THAT VEHICLE DIDN'T HIT ANY FOREIGN OBJECTS OR BUMPS IN THE DRIVEWAY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING NOTICE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM VENTILATION.*AK

CAR HAS HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE DEALER IS NO LONGER WILLING TO FIX. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

RELAY KIT WAS INSTALLED UNDER RECALL 02V070000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH ON 6-5-2002. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT START, IT JUST CLICKS WHEN CONSUMER TRIES TO START IT.*AK

CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL WHEN DRIVING. DEALER DETERMINED THAT FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO ENGINE.*AK

WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING ON AFTER BACKING VEHICLE OUT. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED WATER ON GROUND. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES ON OR STAYS ON FOR A LONG TIME. LIGHTS CAUSE A DISTRACTION AT NIGHT WITH DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR CONTROL DISPLAY RECALL 96-V-257-000, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS CHECKED AND THE TECHNICIAN FOUND A LOT OF SPLICES IN THE IGNITION. *JG

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE NOTICED SOME SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. IGNITION LOCKED UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MY HUSBANDIS DRIVING AND I AM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD AT 30MPH. WE KNOW YOU CANT GO FAST ON DIRT ROADS SO WE ARE BEING PRECAUTIOUS.ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYS STRIKING ME IN THE FACE. THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AND WE RUSH TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM VIA A FRIEND. I WAS INJURED. MY NECK WAS SEVERELY SWELLED AND BRUISED AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE EAR DRUM. THE SHOCK OF THE WHOLE THING HAD MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH SHAKEN UP. WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS WAS THE DRIVER AIRBAG INSTEAD OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. WE ARE LUCKY BUT NOT HAPPY.MY HUSBAND AND I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.*AK

INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THERE ARE RECALLS 88V927000 AND 96V257000; BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK THE INVOICE STATES THAT THEY CHECKED THE RECALL/CAMPAIGN-THEY HAD TO INSTALL ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING COLUMN TILT LEVER. *SCC

WITH NO PRIOR WARNING MY '96 PONTIAC GRAND AM SUDDENLY 'SHIVERED' OR 'SNEEZED' WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 55 - 60 MPH. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND WERE BLINKING. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AS WELL ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TRAVELING AS A RESULT OF THE ORIGINAL SPEED. I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER SINCE I WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR US HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I QUICKLY TURNED ON MY WARNING FLASHERS, GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY WITH BOTH HANDS AND TRIED TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS THAT I WAS IN DISTRESS. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHO, AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRS, WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I EVENTUALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PONTIAC DEALER WHO REPLACED THE 'IGNITION COIL'. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT IS A SAFETY DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE TO REPORT IT AS SUCH.*AK

IN THIS VEHICLE, BY 80,000 MILES, ALL 4 POWER WINDOW MOTORS HAD SEQUENTIALLY OVERHEATED AND FAILED WITH ORDINARY USE. THEY HAVE ALL HAD TO UNDERGO REPLACEMENT. IN ADDITION, THE ALTERNATOR HAS TWICE BECOME CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS (LEAVES, ETC). THROUGH ORDINARY USE, OVERHEATED AND FAILED. BOTH THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR AND A MANUFACTURER-BRANDED REPLACEMENT HAVE FAILED IN THIS FASHION, AND HAVE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.

REAR WINDOW, PASSENGER SIDE AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING DUE TO THE ELECTRIC MOTORS FAILURES. *YH

AT 62MPH PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE, STAYING AT SPEED OF 62MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN OFF VEHICLE. IT COULD HAD CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA# 02 V 07 000/IGNITION : WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HORN STARTED GOING OFF, AND THEN NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK AN INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS ARSON. *JG

AFTER RECALL 02V070000 REPAIRS WERE DONE, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE CONSUMER TO REPLACE RECALL AGAIN.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *TT

CONSUMER HAS BEEN REPAIRING THE IGNITION SYSTEM FOR OVER TWO (2) YEARS. A RECALL NOTICE WAS SENT TO CONSUMER RECENTLY. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. *JG

NHTSA RECALL 02 V 070 000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02008 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH: AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BEFORE THE RECALL KIT WAS INSTALLED THE CAR HASN'T BEEN RUNNING PROPERLY. ONE INCIDENT THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A SEMI-TRUCK WAS FOLLOWING. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A BAD SENSOR WHICH STILL DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEN ON ANOTHER OCCASION WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T THE SENSOR BUT A BAD FUEL PUMP. THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON 75 PERCENT OF THE TIME. *SCC

BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOUR TIMES FROM 60,000 MILES TO THE PRESENT, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRING. DEALER NOTIFIED . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER TO GET RECALL 02V070000 REPAIRS DONE ON IGNITION SWITCH. AFTER WORK WAS DONE, CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SWITCH.*AKJG

KEY GETS STUCK IN SWITCH AND CAN'T TURN VEHICLE OFF NOR TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND HAD REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 02V070000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH WHICH HAS NOT BEEN HORNORED BY DEALER. CONSUMER IS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH SERVICE AND TREATMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER COULD SMELL FUEL COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE THROUGH VENTS. HAD A FUEL LEAK. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

VEHICLE WAS GOING 5MPH WHEN SUDDENLY AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH NO IMPACT TO VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED A FEW SECONDS LATER THEN DRIVER'S AIR BAG. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

THERE IS A LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. ALSO, THROUGH AIR VENTS A BURNING GAS SMELL IS COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION.*AK